We rarely interview someone twice on the site, but it's been a few years since we last spoke with Quim and decided to do an update. Below Quim talks East Coast, SF, his brother Mike, Paulo Diaz, and much more. A Definite must-read for all the Quim Cardona fans out there.

Interview by Shawn Whisenant

Shawn: Where are you from and how did you first get involved in skateboarding?

Quim: New Jersey. My older brothers skated in the 70's. We have family photo album's of them skating cements park. I have memories of skating in the garage and in the basement and spray painting my converse all stars to make em look cooler. I taught myself how to skate. I started off by running and jumping on the board. I kept riding until the wheels fell off.

Shawn: Do you remember your first skateboard?

Quim: It was a blue little plastic piece of junk, but it worked. I think my first board was an Alva Bill Danforth. Then I got a Steve Steadham Conquering Lion board. There hasn't been a board with those kind of shapes and graphics ever since.

Shawn: How do you think growing up on the East Coast effected your skating?

Quim: The East Coast has made my skin tough. One new years I caught the flu after skating in the cold, sweating, and not bringing something dry to change into. It's not too bad, the freshest time to skate the NYC is in the fall. Put on a flannel and jeans and your're straight. All of the skaters who I skated with, Keenan Milton, Justin Pierce, Harold Hunter, New York City Legends, will always be remembered. Music is a big inspiration. My brothers were more Led Zeppelin and The Police. I was more of a New York Hardcore, Dead Kennedy, Bad Brains, and KRS 1 fan. East Coast Hip Hop and Reggae Culture. Listening and recording underground radio shows - Stretch Armstrong and Bobito. Being connected to the music effected our attitudes, our decision making to live more conscious and skate more conscious. Most of all, we were fortunate to have parents who cared about what we were doing and who supported our interests.

Shawn: New York has changed a whole lot since back then,what's different about New York too you than in the 90's?

Quim: Craig's List and Myspace. One thing that hasn't changed in New York is metal curbs. Other than that, New York City is constantly changing. Forgetaboutit!

Shawn: Who did you skatewith back then and who influenced your style and creative skateboarding?

Quim: There's too many to think about. Steven Cales, Ivan Perez and Paulo Diaz - two innovators and originators of great style.

Shawn: I remember early on seeing you in Real's Ride On video from 1995, how did you hook up with Real Skateboards?

Quim: I flew out to California for the first time to visit Matt Field and skate. We skated the Wallenberg ledges with Tommy G and Jim T, the rest is history. Reuben at Spitfire gave my first Spitfire wheel - the Lion spitting fire, Red, Gold, and Green. We were young and chose to skate over joining the work force.

Shawn: Real Skateboards Non-Fiction was a amazing video,how was that time filming for that video?

Quim: It was a great time for Real. It documents the first time I had a chance to skate SF. But it goes back to New York City and the Brooklyn Banks, those were the stomping grounds for many skaters.

Shawn: The Gonz designed your 1st pro model for Real, was that your first board?

Quim: Yes he did the first board series for Real. My first Pro model was created by my brother Mike. It was an abstract milkcrate face that later became a snowboard graphic for Type-A in 2001 as a memorial graphic. All of my twin brother's art is under The Michael Cardona Foundation. Something that was started shortly after a memorial event Shred 4 Mike to commemorate the life and times of a creative and talented young man.

Shawn: What do you remember from your time in SF?

Quim: I stayed with Huf, Chris Keefe, and Ben Liversledge. With Matt Field and his family, Mike Daher, and friends. We shot the first Adidas commercials in SF. I remember bombing Backside Nine with Gonz and Dan Drehobl and skating Fort Miley in the summer of '97, there's still some lost footage of the experience that's nowhere to be found.

Shawn: You make music and art, can you tell me how you got into that?

Quim: I met my favorite artist through a issue in Juxtapoz magazine. The title on the magazine was The Most Famous Unknown Artist Alive. Paulo Diaz and I were in Barcelona skating, and we called the number on the end of the interview. The phone picked up and the next thing we were talking to the voice. We told him that we were two pro skaters on tour. He asked, "if you are really skaters, then my son's should know who you are." The next day they invited us to the island of Mallorca to meet Baltazaar and Salvador and they're dad, Abdul Mati Klarwein. It was a very surreal experience.

Shawn: I always enjoyed your part with Paulo Diaz in LA County, how did you to end up sharing a part?

Quim: We were brothers from the day we met, Mi casa su casa. La Candela is a band that we had put together. All the best to Paulo and his family and friends around him.

Shawn: What do you remember from skating in Los Angeles? Where you living there at that time?

Quim: I was close to Crenshaw and Jefferson. Right down the street from a soul food spot that served a line of people that would stretch out the door. In LA, there are many worlds. They've got Japantown, Filipinotown, Chinatown, Little Ethiopia, Little Thailand, Slauson's Super Swap Meet, Venice beach - those are some places you might find me.

Shawn: Who do you ride for these days?

Quim: Organika, Grind King Trucks, NJ Skateshop, and Kangol hats. I've been skating in Converse, Emerica, and Dekline shoes are comfortable shoes I like to skate in.

Shawn: How did you link up with Organika and how did you meet Karl Watson?

Quim: I met Karl in SF in '94 - '95, but we hooked up through Organika in 2001 and have been skating together ever since. I skated for Zoo York before they were bought out by Marc Ecko. Adidas before Nike took over, and rolled with the IPath before Timberland improved their budget. It's good to see the companies I was with become a success. Organika brings the skating back into skating.

Shawn: Whens the last time you skated a red curb?

Quim: 2003.

Shawn: What's your favorite place you've traveled?

Quim: Japan. Look for the Video Overground Broadcasting F.E.S.N. .

Shawn: What happened to Sushi wheels?

Quim: I don't eat sushi as much anymore. In fact I don't even eat out, I rather cook at home. Sushi Wheels was a Brand that I started in 2003. In 2006 the company's partnership dissolved.

Shawn: What's an average day for you?

Quim: In the past two years, since my son's been born, my patterns of sleep changed. I don't sleep as much as I should, maybe five hours the most. I get up and set a kettle to boil to make a cup of tea or a cup of coffee to start. While I wait, I'll start cleaning, check any missed calls, reply to a few emails. Make sure that the baby is fed and I'm ready to have a breakfast for champions. If the day's not spent working at the shop, I'll hop on a light rail and take the path train to the city. Much time is spent in my studio, where I get the inspiration to write songs, create melodies over a beat, work on my website, and on my productive modes of making a living.

Shawn: With all the new video's dropping every other month,what's a new video you enjoy?

Quim: Zoo York State Of Mind, Sk8 Mafia, Overground Broadcasting. Lordz - They Don' t Give A Fuck About Us!, Daniel Lebron and Jesus Fernandez, Square There's No Place Like Home.

Shawn: Favorite Skate video of all time?

Quim: Video Days - Blind Video.

Shawn: What's in store for you in 2010?

Quim: Working to put out some new footage. Did some work for HBO, How To Make It In America. Dedicating some time to a team of young skaters who have dreams and goals. Started the new year doing some work with a photographer in Japan for http://www.mediadefrag.jp An article in the first issue of a new Japanese skate magazine called Slider, shot by Ken Goto. Opening Knotty Roots Natural Hair Care Salon in Bayonne New Jersey. Djing at 4L's in Hoboken. Spinnng Records. Flip Creative just put out a 12 inch on vinyl record. I've got 7 tracks, including a song from my band The Jack Moves. For music lovers only. Trying to make it happen in 2010.

Shawn: Shout outs and thank yous?

Quim: This Interview is in memory of my Dad, Joaquim Augusto Cardona MD who lived to 80. 1928 - 2009 You Will Be Missed. If skating isn't about having fun, than you might as well not skate at all!